Improved car-truck



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C. 4F. ALLEN. Car Truck.

Patented June 18, 1867.

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Car Truck.

Patented June 18. 1867.

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UNITED S,I,AI:[|E SM C. F. ALLEN, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVED CAR-TRUCK.

` Specification forming partlof Letters Patent No. 65,78-8, dated June18, 1867'.v

To all whom it may concern'.-

Beit known that I, C. FALLEN of Aurora, in the county of Kane, State ofIllinois, have invented an Improved Eight-Wheel Truck forRailroadCoaches; and I do hereby declare the A -following to be a full,clear, and exact descrip tion thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making a part of this specilication, in which--Figure l, Sheet 1, is a plan view of my improved eight-wheel truck,complete.- Fig.2,

Sheet 1, is a side elevation of the frame which connects the twofour-wheel trucks together,

and upon which one end ot` a coach is sup-` ported. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, isan elevation of one side of the eight-wheel truck. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is atransverse section throughV the center of the truckframe, taken in thevertical plane indicated vby reddine a' min Fig.' 1. Fig. 5 is a view ofone end of the truck-frame. Fig. 6 is a modication of the braced frameof one of the four-wheel trucks. g

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

This invention relates 'to certain novel improvements on theconstruction of trucks for railroad-coaches, the main object of which isto sustain the ends of the coaches-upon eight wheel trucks composed oftwo independent four-wheel trucks, connected together by a platform insuch a manner as to relieve the coaches from shocks and concussions,`and thus afford ease and V.comfort to the passengers,` and also togreatly lessenthedanger in passing over the curves and inequalitiesfofthe track, A

The nature of my invention consists mainly in connecting together twoindependent fourwhcel trucks by means of a platform or horizontalrame,which is sustained at its ends by pivotal connections uponvertically-elastic and laterally-swinging beams, applied centrally tothe truck-frames, which platform or frame is provided with a centralelastic swinging beam for sustaining uponit one end of a coach, so thateach end of the coach will be supported by-threebearings, so disposed asto bring the weight of the load centrally between the axles of eachtruck, as will be herein after explained.

It further consists invprovidinglfor sustaining the platform and itsswing-beam and the truckframes with their swing-beams upon the axl'ef.V

boxes of the trucks by means of springs and eq nali zing-beams, and inso constructing, trnssing, and tying together the frames', that greatstrength and lightness are secured, as will be hereinafter described.

Toenable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I willdescribe 1its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a horizontal platform, whichis sustained at its ends upon two four-Wheel trucks, as will behereinafter explained. As both of these t`our-wheel trucks areV alikeinform and construction, a description of one will give a clear'understanding of the construction of the other.

Ax A represent the wheels of the truck, and.A

A1 A1 the axles thereof. The axles enter boxes B B, which may beconstructed in any suitable manner forsupportin g th ey superincmnbentload upon the ends of the axles, and which are applied between pedestalsa a and held in place against lateral displacement, so as to rise and`fall freely. These pedestals are made of cast metal, and' are securedin place between the horizontal tie-bars b b1 and braces o c by means ofbolts which pass through the pedestals and through the said bars, asshown in Fig. 3. The ends of the pedestals a a. are constructed withanges, which overhang the edges ot' the braces c c, and thus preventlateral displacement of these pedestals. The horizontal tiebars b extendlongitudinally from oneend of the truck-frame to the other, and thebraces c o and thetie-bars h1 are carried beneath thepedestalsand lowerbraces c, and secured at their ends tothe extreme ends of the bars b` bymeans of vertical eye-bolts b2. These bars extend in horizontal planes'.parallel tothe upper bars b between the outer pedestals, andv are thenturned upward, so as to form an'elongated stirrup or support, as showninthe drawings. Between .these horizontal bars b b1, and below theintermediate.horizontal portions of the braces c c,.the ends ofhorizontal transverse beams C G are firmly secured by means of verticalthrough-bolts, which pass down through the bars b bi, braces c o, andpillowblocks d d, and are tightened by means or' nuts l upon their lowerends. The beams C C yare in vthe middle of the length of thetruck-frame,

and they are secured in place, as aforesaid, so

as to leave a space between them for 'receiving a swinging'beam, D,which will be hereinafter described.

In Fig. 3, the beams C C are shownas being arranged below the`intermediate horizontal portions of the braces c c, with'thepillowblocks d be-tweenthese 'braces and the upper bar b, vbut inFig. 6 the braces c o and pillowblock d are shown as being locatedbeneath the beams C. C.' The braces c c extend from the ends of theirrespective pillow-blocks upward and downward, and pass over and beneaththe pedestals a a, and are y. secured by bolts, "as shown in thedrawings. Between the ends -of the two transverse beams C C metal boxese-e Vare rmly bolted by transverse bolts.- These boxes are composed ofhorizontal and vertical Webs, and form metallic bearings o r abutmentsfor the vmetal bars b1 and braces c, so that a more uuyielding andrigid-connection will be el'ected .than could be made if the metal barswere boltedto the Wooden beams C C. The inner ends of said boxes e ealso form end abutments for the swinging beam D,.as shown in Fig'. l.The pillow-blocks el d extend across the beams (l C,.and form, inconjunction with their respective boxes e e, solid intermediate bearingsor braces for preventing a central vertical dis# placement of thelongitudinal bars and braces composing the sides of the'truck-frame.`They also prevent the collapsing or. spreading out of said bars andbraces. The braces c c are designed to serve as braces for stifieningand strengtheningy those portions of the sides of the frame which extendvbeyond. (l C and pillow-blocks d d, vas shown in Fig. 3. Upon the upperends of the four axle-boxes B rflanged steps el are put, which receivethe ends of saddles e2 that are placed astride the bars'b c, so as toallow the truck-frame `to rise and descend freely while they remain4stationary upon their respect-ive boxes. Upon the upper ends of thesesaddles compound semi-elliptic springsf are supported and properlyfastened,`which springs are connected, at their inner ends, to the freeends of equalizing-beams D by means of loops f1, and at their outer endsto the'eyebolts b2, by means of loops f2, as shown in Fig. 3. The leversor beams D are held up against knife-edge bearings, which are in saddlesg',- that are secured firmly tothe pillow-blocks d. The fulc'rums of theequalizing-b'eams D are in avertical plane passing vcentrally betweenthetransverse.beamsy C C, and consequently inthe center of the length` ofthe truck-frame. The bearing'of each spring f 'is ina vertical planeintersecting the axisfof itsrespective axle.Gonsequentlythesuperincumbentweight upon the vswing-beam D willbeuniformly re-4 c'eivedupon the four axle-boxes and upon both axles; and,-while this is the case, the four' springs f will form an intermediatesupport for the truck-frame upon itsaxles, and allowv` for a freevertical and elastic play.

It-willbe Seen, from the above description oi' the construction ot 'thefour-wheel trucktrames, that I combine strength and lightness withdurability and great rigidity. I have' metal abuttiijig against metal atevery point,

and thus secure the points permanently against looseness.

' The swing-beam D is constructed of such length as to allow it a freeendwise 'play between theboxes eA e, and 'itis supported upop a beam, E,by means of india-rubber or other suitable springs, so as tn allow itAto have a vertical elastic motion.. 'If desirable, the ends of this beamD may be caused to abutagains' springs, to avoid lany j ar or concussionwhicl might be caused .by their striking against the metal boxes e c.The beam E is suspended from the transverse beams. C C by means, ofelongated loops t c' and rocking-blocks jj, as described'in'my LettersPatent dated on the 24th day of April,I 1866, which allow the beam D tohave a free and endwise movement, and also prevent the lateral shocksand concussions on'the truck-frame from being communicated to it. On topof this beam D, and in the middle of its length, is a plate, G, throughwhich isa vertical hole for receiving a pivot-pin, lc.'

This .plate is constructed with a concavity in its face and a centralelevation for receiving.

the `face ofa plate, G', of a corresponding shape, which is bolted tothe transverse trussed brace of the platform A. This plate G forms thebearing'for one end ofthe platform A, and it is so constructed that thecentral elevation which is formed on it will prevent `the parts frombinding fupon the pivot-pin or bolt la.

The platibrmA is of arectangular shape, and consists of tWo longitudinalcompound beams, which are made of wood, and strengthened by boltingmetal plates on their vertical sides, and also at certain points upontheir upper surfacessas shown in Figs. l and 2.- These longitudinal barsor beams are connected together' at a suitable distance apart, and inplanes parallel to each other, by means of transverse bars or plates atthe ends of said beams, and also by means of two central trans-'vcrse'beams, A4 A4. The end bars are strengthened by trusses, to themiddle of the length of which, the convex bearing-plates G are secured 5also, segment-shoes m m, which latter slide upon elevations upon theswing-beam D. These end bars are strengthened against longitudinalstrain by means ofthe intermediate longitudinal 'stay-beams AZQAZ, whichare inv troduced between the said end beams andthe central beams A4 A4,as shown in Fig. l. To prevent the platform from' yielding or breakingdown in the center, I employ braces, J, on .both sides of this platform,which incline from the ends thereof to the central vertical bolts J1,which are secured to the horizontal webs of metallic boxes e4 e4, whichare secured between, the vbeams A4 A4,'as shown` in Figs/2 and 3.- Theends of these braces or trusses J kare constructed with lipped shoes p pupon their ends, the lips of which receive the ends of the longitudinalbeams. vThe centers of .these braces are perforated to receive throughthem the 'bolts J1, and the -plates Jiare'ap.- plied to the bottomsideaof the beams A4' A4,

elongated Vloops and rocking bearings, as de.

scribed, for the swinging truck-beams D. as shown in Fig. 3. Thisswingingbeam K is provided on its upper surface and in the middle of itslength with a concave bearing-plate,

B, constructed like the bearing-plate G on the swinging beams D, whichplate receives a corresponding plate, which is secured to the bottom ofthe car-body on coach. A pivot-bolt which passes through the bedof thecoach .and through the plate R and itsbeam, connects one end of thecoach to the platform.

The eight-wheel truck which I have described is designed for supportingone end only of acoach, the 'opposite end being supported by a trucksimilarly constructed.

It-will be'seenu that each one of the four- `wheel trucks are allowed tohave motions independent of the other, and that the `car or coach bodyis not mounted directly upon these trucks, but upon the swing-beams of aplatform which has its end bearings upon the ofthe four-wheel trucksaccommodating them. selvesto the irregularities and curves of the roadwithout straining the frame-work.

Having described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s-

1. An eight-wheel truck, which is composed of two independent four wheeltrucks, con` nected together by means of a platform, A',

which is supported upon-and connected'by pivots to laterally-swingingspring-beams, ab ranged substantially as described.

2. 'In an eight-wheel truck, the combination of the laterally-swingingand vertically-elastic beams D D and K, withthe side 'springs ff andequalizing beams Dl D', so arrangedthat the weight .of the load upon thecenter of the platform A will be uniformly disposed upon all the axlesof the trucks, substantially as described.

3. The connecting platform A, constructed of wood and. metal, providedwith a swinging beam, K, and strengthened bymeansof trusses or braces, JJ, substantially as described.

4.. In combination with the bars bbl, braces c o, pedestals a a, stepse1 c1, and saddles e2 e2, the transverse beams C C, metal boxes e c,pillow-blocks d d, fulcrumstraps g', and the equalizing-beams D D, withtheir springs and connectingloops, all arranged =and operatingsubstantially as and for the purposes described.

e F.ALLEN. Witnesses: Y

T. B. RICE, i

S. W. CAMPBELL;

